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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stock · bore · trunk · bulb · land · hide · pit · bowl

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. land — ground
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. stock — shares
  12. land — to come down
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — to tire
  20. land — a country
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. trunk — of an elephant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com